Staff Researcher - Vehicle Compute Platforms & SoC/MCU Semiconductor Systems Job at General Motors (Warren)

Job Description

At General Motors, our product teams are redefining mobility. Through a human-centered design process, we create vehicles and experiences that are designed not just to be seen, but to be felt. We’re turning today’s impossible into tomorrow’s standard —from breakthrough hardware and battery systems to intuitive design, intelligent software, and next-generation safety and entertainment features. Every day, our products move millions of people as we aim to make driving safer, smarter, and more connected, shaping the future of transportation on a global scale.

Job Responsibility

Lead semiconductor-focused research projects that influence GM’s electrical and software architecture roadmaps (central compute, zonal ECUs, domain controllers, edge nodes, infotainment, and automated driving compute platforms)
Design and implement proof-of-concept prototypes on our R&D lab benches
Represent GM in domestic and international standards bodies and technical meetings (e.g., IEEE 802.3, IEEE 802.1), including approximately 10–15% travel and quickly developing deep expertise in Ethernet‑based in‑vehicle protocols and IEEE 802 specifications
Evaluate and benchmark SoCs/MCUs and memory technologies (CPU cores, accelerators, interconnects, DDR/LPDDR, flash, NVM, cache hierarchies) for latency, throughput, power, cost, and safety/security trade-offs
Explore and prototype new compute and communication concepts using FPGAs, evaluation boards, and custom circuitry
Contribute to ECU and board-level design concepts
Drive low-level software concepts around boot flows, board support packages (BSPs), bare-metal or RTOS-based implementations, device drivers, and hardware abstraction needed for SDV architectures
Collaborate closely with GM engineering, purchasing, and suppliers to align semiconductor choices with GM’s long-term architecture, safety, cybersecurity, and cost objectives
Seek out and aggressively pursue technology insertion opportunities at GM
Publish and protect IP through internal reports, patents, and external publications where appropriate
Mentor researchers and early-career engineers

Requirements

M.S. in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field
Ph.D. preferred
8+ years of relevant industrial or research experience (or 5+ with a Ph.D.) in semiconductors, SoC/MCU architecture, or embedded compute platforms
Deep understanding of modern SoCs/MCUs, including CPU cores (e.g., Arm, RISC‑V), memory hierarchies, interconnects, and on-chip peripherals
High-speed interfaces (e.g., PCIe, Ethernet, SerDes, DDR/LPDDR, GDDR, NVMe)
Knowledge of automotive communication protocols (e.g., Ethernet, Time Sensitive Networking Standards, CAN, LIN, PCIe-based architectures, SOME/IP) and in-vehicle networks
Hands-on experience in the use of oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and JTAG for board bring-up and debug
Experience with ECU or embedded system design and low-level software, such as Board support packages, bootloaders, bare-metal or RTOS-based implementations, hardware drivers
Integration of low-level software with hardware in lab or bench environments
Demonstrated ability to define and execute research projects, from concept and modeling through proof-of-concept implementation and technology transfer to product teams
Strong communication and influence skills, including presenting complex technical content at multiple levels of detail (lab leadership, cross-functional partners, standards bodies)
Building alignment across internal stakeholders and external partners

Nice to have

Experience working for or closely with a semiconductor company or Tier‑1 supplier, especially on automotive‑grade SoCs/MCUs, memory subsystems, or safety-critical controllers
Hands-on experience with FPGA or digital hardware development (Verilog/VHDL, synthesis, timing closure, lab validation)
Direct contributions to standards bodies (e.g., IEEE 802.x, OPEN Alliance, AUTOSAR) or similar consortia, including proposal authorship, editing, or leading technical subgroups
Experience with security and safety architectures at the hardware/platform level (e.g., secure boot, key storage, redundancy, fault containment)
Prior experience leading cross-company or cross-organizational initiatives, navigating complex stakeholder landscapes, and influencing roadmaps without direct authority

General Motors - All Job Offers

Select Country

Staff Researcher - Vehicle Compute Platforms & SoC/MCU Semiconductor Systems

Job Description

Job Responsibility

Requirements

Nice to have

Looking for more opportunities?

Staff Researcher - Vehicle Compute Platforms & SoC/MCU Semiconductor Systems

Commercial Banking Portfolio Coordinator

Senior Business Development Manager

Branch Operations Coordinator

Branch Operations Coordinator Bilingual Spanish

Advanced Research Engineer

Project Manager

Programme Manager

Platform Engineer

Our AI answers in your language